Kishanganj: Congress on Tuesday claimed that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has lost his grip over the official machinery and alleged that law and order situation has deteriorated in the state.

"The rule of law has collapsed in Bihar following a spate in crime in recent times ... It appears that Kumar has lost his grip over the official machinery, including police, to sustain good governance in the state," AICC in-charge Gulchain Singh Charak told reporters.

Besides, corruption and loot of public money by 'self-serving' representatives and government servants have brought miseries to the people during the second term of the NDA government in the state, he said.

Charak said the Congress state unit has sensed the public mood of anger and disgust against the government and has launched 'pol khol' (expose) campaign across Bihar to rejuvenate the party before the 2014 parliamentary polls.

Referring to the Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi's remarks that 'casteist' leaders have perpetuated caste politics in Bihar, the AICC leader asked Kumar to explain whether he agreed with the comments of his NDA colleague.